Lobkowicz Library & Study Center

''Nelahozeves is an enchanting place to visit. It's the product of four centuries of patronage and stewardship by one of the greatest Middle European families. The buildings and their amazing holdings are being skilfully restored and put to public use. The new Lobkowicz Library and Study Centre is a project of international importance, and it deserves international support" John Walsh, Director Emeritus, J.Paul Getty Museum

Description

Wright and Wright's first international project is to restore and redevelop Nelahozeves Castle, near Prague as a leading centre for Czech cultural heritage, with an emphasis on the study and performance of classical music. The initiative is given impetus by the historic presence of Dvořák’s Birth House and the legacy of the Lobkowicz family as patrons of the arts, anchored by a unique archive of artistic and musical treasures dating back to the 9th century. The proposal for a 300 person Hall for chamber music under the Castle courtyard unlocks the design and enlivens the Castle. Forensic studies of the historic records of the building, dating back to the 16th century, revealed potential for change, to bring the Castle to life with facilities for today to support the client’s aspirations. A new Study Centre with seminar rooms and an archive to house the world class collection will be discreetly linked to the Castle around reinstated gardens. Rooms for residential scholars and visiting delegates will be built nearby, behind Dvorak’s birth-house across the village square with a state-of-the-art museum and accommodation within the birth-house.

Notable items in the collection include:

George Friedrich Handel's most famous oratorio, The Messiah (1741/1789) with handwritten annotation by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Image 1)